This invention relates to monorail systems for use in manufacturing and industrial settings. More particularly, this invention pertains to a rail support assembly for suspension from an overhead structure or surface in order to form a monorail system for conveying and supporting machinery, material, and equipment, and for carrying a traveling crane for lifting and transporting machinery, material, and equipment.
Overhead rail tracks are widely used in numerous commercial, industrial, and manufacturing settings. Overhead rail tracks, commonly referred to as monorail systems, have also been incorporated into many public transportation systems, and are used as efficient people movers in, for example, resort parks, amusement parks, zoos, and sports facilities and complexes.
Because the work areas and floors of workshops, manufacturing assembly lines, and industrial plants are often cluttered and crowded with machinery and workers, it is often difficult and awkward to move material and product from one location to another location. The use of gantries in steel mills and paper mills is one structure that is used to overcome this problem. The frames or towers of the gantry move in ground based rail tracks while carrying an overhead traveling crane. Gantries are useful for lifting and conveying heavy loads but their area of operation is fixed, and they are most appropriate for large-scale industrial settings. Movable arms or jibs are used in smaller workshops but their range of operation and adaptability is also limited.
Prior art devices that illustrate overhead monorail or conveyor-type systems include Wilkie (U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,778), Hermanson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,206), Marteau et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,928), Foy (U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,531), Dehne et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,523), McDonald et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,298), McDonald et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,889), McDonald (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,890), Avery (U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,288) and Zaguroli Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,574).
Nonetheless, there remains a need for a rail support system or assembly that is adaptable to various work sites and can be specifically customized for the area dimensions and work environment for which it is utilized.
The present invention comprehends monorail track systems, and, more particularly, comprehends a rail support assembly for suspension from an overhead structure in order to create a monorail track system for lifting, supporting, and conveying material and equipment, and for supporting thereon a traveling crane.
The present invention includes a plurality of side rail members with the side rail members suspended from the overhead structure in opposed pairs of uniform parallel spaced alignment. The pairs of side rail members are disposed in end-to-end relationship pendent from the overhead structure to form runway sections, and the runway sections cooperate to form the monorail track system. Each side rail member includes a major body portion, a lower track section, and an upper curvilinear end. The lower track section is v-shaped and defines an inner track guide.
A plurality of spacers engage the side rail members to interconnect the opposed pairs of side rail members and to maintain the uniform parallel alignment of the side rail members. Each spacer includes opposed upper rail engaging portions that conform to the upper curvilinear ends of the side rail members so that the upper rail engaging portions can be received within and fitted to the upper curvilinear ends thereby connecting the spacers to the side rail members. In addition, the rail support assembly also includes a plurality of clamps that cooperate with the spacers to interconnect the opposed pairs of side rail members so that the uniform spaced parallel alignment of the side rail members is maintained. Each clamp has opposed end portions shaped to conform to the upper curvilinear ends of the side rail members, and the end portions of the clamps are superposed on the curvilinear ends and in alignment with the upper rail engaging portions of the spacers so that the curvilinear ends of the side rail members are enclosed between and held by each pair of cooperating clamps and spacers.
In order to facilitate the movement and conveyance of machinery, material, and equipment throughout the work site, and to support a traveling crane, at least onexe2x80x94and preferably a pluralityxe2x80x94of trolley vehicles are disposed within the side rail member pairs forming the runway sections for reciprocable movement therealong. Each trolley vehicle includes two pairs of opposed wheels, and the wheels ride within and along the inner track guides of the side rail members. The wheels are spring loaded or biased to enhance the unimpeded movement of the trolley vehicles along the inner track guides and within and between the opposed pairs of side rail members.
In order to suspend the rail support assembly from the overhead structure a plurality of u-shaped hangers are utilized. In suspending the rail support assembly one hanger is secured to an adjacent pair of spacers wherein each hanger extends upwardly from each respective spacer pair for attachment to any convenient fixture or element that is directly mounted on or into the overhead structure.
The rail support system also includes a plurality of joint plates that have a cross sectional configuration generally coinciding with the side rail members, and each joint plate is secured to two adjacent side rail members that are disposed in end to end relationship in order to prevent the separation of the adjacent side rail members and to provide a continuous extension of the side rail members for forming successive runway sections.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a rail support assembly that is of relatively low cost and is easy to assemble and disassemble with a minimum of tools and expertise.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a rail support assembly wherein the primary structural elements can be fitted and snapped together thus minimizing or eliminating the need for fasteners to be inserted into and through all the elements for interconnecting the elements.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a rail support assembly having side rail members that can be assembled without the use of welds or lugs.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a rail support assembly that can support a traveling crane for lifting and conveying machinery, material, and equipment throughout the work site.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a rail support assembly wherein runway tracks formed by successive pairs of side rail members disposed in end to end relationship can be arranged in a number of levels or stacks from the overhead structure down so that each runway track extends transverse to the runway track located above and below that runway track.
Yet still another objective of the present invention is to provide a rail support assembly wherein a precision alignment of the structural elements is not a requirement for assembling the rail support assembly.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a rail support assembly wherein the side rail members include lower track sections having v-shaped inner track guides that enhance the unimpeded movement of mechanical or electrical devices therealong.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a rail support assembly wherein trolley vehicles are disposed within the side rail members for reciprocable movement within and along the inner track guides of opposed pairs of side rail members.
A yet still further objective of the present invention is to provide a rail support assembly including joint plates for connecting adjacent side rail members that are disposed in end to end relationship with the joint plates preventing the separation of the adjacent side rail members so that a continuous traveling surface is provided for the trolley vehicles.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the entire disclosure herein along with the accompanying drawings.